1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feeding device for animal foodstuffs permitting adjustment of the feed level in feed-distribution lines for chicken farming in sheds.
2. Prior Art
It is known that the feeding devices in question substantially consist of a containing plate provided on the periphery thereof with a metal grating or cage fastened to an annulus disposed in coaxial relation externally to a cylindrical upright distributor. The upright distributor is located above the containing plate and feed coming from a horizontal tubular duct which is supported by ropes flows through the distributor into the plate. The distributor is connected to the horizontal tubular duct at the upper part thereof and is suspended therefrom.
It is known that the feed level in the containing plate (high level in case of chicks, low level in case of chickens) is determined by the relative vertical distance between the cylindrical distributor and the containing plate located under it. Practically the distributor is slidably moved by hand relative to the annulus external to it between two positions of maximum and minimum distance from the containing plate respectively, thereby giving rise to a variation of the feed level in the containing plate.
Presently, in accordance with the known art, the position adjustment of the cylindrical distributor is carried out by an operator who acts on each feeding device individually. He moves the cylindrical distributor downwardly as the animal size grows thereby decreasing the feed level in the plate and subsequently (when the chickens have reached a bigger size) raises the containing plate form ground. Therefore nowadays the operator intervenes on each feeding device individually in order to carry out said adjustments.
The operator's intervening represents a clear drawback due to the great waste of time, taking into account the fact that there is a great number of feeding devices in the various feed distribution lines in the sheds.
It is also to be noted that the operator, in order to avoid wasting time, tends to intervene on the feeding devices the lowest number of times. Practically there is therefore a passage from a completely raised position of the distributor to a completely lowered position without any intermediate adjustment. As is known, this brings about an important waste of feed by the animals, since the feed level is not accurately adjusted depending on the size reached by the animals.
Presently, still in accordance with the known art, the position adjustment of the distributor relative to the containing plate is carried out by the use of metal supporting hooks provided on the plate and engaged in holes arranged on the distributor outer surface at different heights.
In a second adjustment system provision is made for the use of notches disposed on the distributor and engaged by a pair of teeth resting thereon, which are provided on the annulus supporting the containing plate.
In both cases however the intervening of an operator is always required to act on each feeding device individually, which involves the above mentioned drawbacks.